I looked out onto my students in last Tuesday’s teen class before we were about to start our warm up. My class seemed very different than the formidable gladiators-in-training I see representing CrossFit ... Continue Reading
A Quick Look at Preventing and Treating Shoulder Instability
If you perform strength training, then you’ve probably experienced shoulder pain. You’re not alone. About 36% of injuries in the weight training population occur at the shoulder, and many of these injuries ... Continue Reading
Finding Balance in Our Physical, Personal, and Professional Lives
“Happiness is not a matter of intensity, but of balance, order, rhythm, and harmony.” - Thomas Merton It’s perhaps a bit overused as a word - balance. It’s also a darn tricky concept to optimize in ... Continue Reading
Healing the Adrenal System: Acupuncture and the HPA Axis
As I discussed in my last article, my adrenals have taken a beating over the past decade of my life. As a result, my hypothalamus pituitary adrenal axis (HPA axis) isn’t working as well as it should be. I ... Continue Reading
Why and How to Build Muscle – for the Combat Athlete
Generally speaking, combat athletes are terrible strength athletes. The dogma of being ‘muscle-bound’ is still rife within the world of martial arts, but as readers of this site are well aware, just ... Continue Reading
The 20-Rep Squat Routine: Old School Strength Training
For all neophytes who have no clue how to train hard, I suggest you heed some practical lore from the past. Back in the day when they had no sophisticated equipment, no Internet recommendations, and no ... Continue Reading
Sunday Seven: The Week’s 7 Most Popular Articles, Vol. 58
Every Sunday we post the "Sunday Seven" so you can quickly see the 7 most popular articles of the week. This week's most popular posts cover the American swing, back squats versus front squats, unstable ... Continue Reading
How to Take Useful Notes in BJJ Class
Several times recently, I’ve been asked by teammates and visitors to my academy for suggestions on how to take notes on grappling technique. The people who have asked me have seen me poring over my ... Continue Reading
How’s Your Handstand? 7 Articles to Make It Better
Standing or walking on your hands is an impressive party trick, but it takes time. Here are 7 articles, videos, and tutorials to help you perfect you walk, stand, and even do pushups while upside ... Continue Reading
Athlete Journal: Charles Staley, Entry 42 – Low Volume Week
EDITOR'S NOTE: Ever wonder how a world-class coach actually trains? Wonder what it's like to train as a "mature athlete?" Welcome to the athlete journal of Charles Staley. A big believer in practicing what ... Continue Reading
Time to Schedule Your Summer Yoga Festival Vacation
Vacation for me is attending another yoga workshop in a new place. I put all my focus and energy into expanding my yoga career and knowledge. It feels so much more like yoga vacation than workshop, but ... Continue Reading
Proper Plyometrics: How to Box Jump, Vertical Jump, and Broad Jump Correctly
Training with plyometrics can be the difference between being an average athlete or a great athlete. Some coaches tend to shy away from plyometrics as they assume the movements can be dangerous, hard to ... Continue Reading
If It Fires Together, It Wires Together: Tying the Body Together in Training
Years ago the Eastern Bloc countries ruled the roost when it came to sports science. One of their favorite methods of training was what has come to be called “complex training.” Now, this is different to ... Continue Reading
Science Looks at Bodyweight as a Factor in Lifting Weight
Many Breaking Muscle readers are bodyweight exercise enthusiasts, much like myself. It’s always plain to see when comparing performances of bodyweight trainees that the lighter athletes often perform ... Continue Reading
Time Efficient Fitness for Young Athletes (Includes 3 Workouts)
It has been my experience that when an individual strength trains using controlled repetitions, utilizes perfect form throughout the entire set and works within their momentary muscular ability (MMA) on ... Continue Reading
Feel Me Flow: Deconstructing “Let’s Just Go Light”
I don’t think I was ever formally taught to flow roll in Brazilian jiu jitsu. Just as I pretty much learned how to tie my belt through osmosis and enculturation, I slowly divined what flow rolling is in ... Continue Reading
Eating to Recover: How and What to Eat Post Workout
For years the most important meal of the day has been said to be breakfast, but I believe that to be wrong. I suspect most of the readers here could agree that with all the effort you put into your ... Continue Reading
Get a Big Squat: The Russian Squat Routine vs. The Smolov Squat Routine
In the small and dark basement gym where I trained in Olympic weightlifting, I once saw one of the international level lifters stop his snatches and cleans and move solely to squatting for a number of ... Continue Reading
More Training is Better, Sometimes
One axiom I have in my theory as a coach and exercise theorist as that more exercise volume is always better for any fitness goal so long as you can recover from it. I think this is an incontrovertible ... Continue Reading
Athlete Journal: Pat McCarty, Entry 11 – 5/8/2013
EDITOR'S NOTE: Welcome to the athlete journal of CrossFit trainer and masters athlete Patrick McCarty. Patrick competed in the 2011 Reebok CrossFit Games in the 45-49 age bracket and has his sights set on ... Continue Reading
Quick Recovery Tips for the Intensity Driven Adrenaline Junkie
Hey, intensity junkie. Yes, you. I’m talking to the one who does it all, lives life to the fullest, and enjoys the pains that come from the chaos you create in your funktacular life! Admit it ... Continue Reading
Rationalizing the Swing: Why the American Swing Is Wrong
Technology has ruined the world. Deep down we all know that, right? From hordes of zombies walking down the street staring at their phones, not paying attention to their surroundings, to mass commercial ... Continue Reading
Correlation and Causation: What Pubs and Churches Have to Do With Your Clean and Jerk
Some months ago I mentioned in one of my articles that correlation is not the same as causation. I believe I was referring to the ethnic origin of many champion athletes. I now wish to revisit that ... Continue Reading
Science Examines Rehydration After Weight Cutting
As a coach I became an expert in weight cutting for MMA athletes. I did this because there is a need for it. Some of the practices I’ve witnessed to cut weight are simply ridiculous and often extreme. ... Continue Reading
